External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will co-chair the second high joint commission meeting with her Bahraini counterpart Shaikh Khalid Bin Ahmed Bin Mohamed Al Khalifa. During the meeting the two sides will hold discussion on wide-ranging issues like political, economic, security and cultural ties.

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj arrived in Bahrain on Saturday for a two-day visit. She was received by her Bahrain counterpart Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa at the airport. On her two-day visit, Swaraj will co-chair the second high joint commission meeting with Bahraini Foreign Minister covering a range of issues including, political, economic, security and cultural ties, ANI reported. The first meeting of HJC was held in New Delhi in February, 2015.

Swaraj inaugurated a new chancery-cum-residential complex and addressed a gathering to the Indian community residing there. Around 3, 50,000 Indian nationals, the largest expatriate community in Bahrain, and more than 3000 Indian-owned/joint ventures have been contributing to the development of Bahrain, MEA release stated. “Both India and Bahrain share a glorious past and a dynamic present. The journey that begun centuries ago has arrived at a new phase in its course,” she said.

On Sunday, she will have a series of meetings with the Bahraini political leadership and two to three agreements are also expected to be signed during the visit.

A testimony of close cooperation between India and Bahrain! Joint inauguration of the impressive Embassy of India Complex in Manama by EAM @SushmaSwaraj and Foreign Minister of Bahrain Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmad bin Khalifa. pic.twitter.com/AbLRNwzsbt

MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted, “This visit will provide an opportunity to not only cement a strong relationship with Bahrain to identify new areas of cooperation between the two sides.”

During the visit, the two sides will discuss bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest. India and Bahrain enjoy strong bilateral ties and Bahrain is an important partner for India in the Gulf region.